EP1281819B1

EP1281819B1 - Vaulted cover structure made of key-pattern pressed steel sheet

Info

Publication number: EP1281819B1
Application number: EP02017203A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giorgio c/o Brollo Div. Marcegaglia SPA Moretto
Original assignee: Marcegaglia SpA
Current assignee: Marcegaglia SpA
Priority date: 2001-08-03
Filing date: 2002-07-31
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2022-07-31
Also published as: EP1281819A1; DE60211430D1; ITTO20010770A1; ITTO20010770A0; ATE326592T1

Abstract

A vaulted cover structure made of key-pattern pressed steel sheet comprises at least one element (1) coupled, at both ends, with means (4, 5) for supporting the element and mounting it onto a structure to be covered (6). The cover structure also comprises tightening members (2) arranged to keep, pre-tighten and adjust the curvature of the element(s) (1) and secured at each end to anchoring means (3) integral with the lower face of the respective element (1), externally to the supporting means (4). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to metal cover structures for buildings, cantilever roofs, stadiums and so on, and more particularly it concerns a vaulted cover structure made of key-pattern corrugated plate.
Cover structures of such kind have already been proposed, and they generally consist of a plurality of arc-shaped elements that are arranged side by side across the depth of the structure to be covered and are secured, at the arc ends, to supports allowing mounting the covering on the structure to be covered. One or more tightening members (known in the art as "tie-rod"), extend(s) along one or more arc chords and is (are) secured at its (their) ends to anchoring means to keep the desired curvature.
A cover structure of this kind has been disclosed in GB-A-540 322.
According to the invention, a vaulted cover structure made of key-pattern corrugated plate is provided, having a simple and effective arrangement for securing the tie-rod.
The cover structure according to the invention is characterised in that the anchoring means of the tightening members are integral with the lower part of one cover element, externally to the supporting means, at such a position that the intersection between the axis of the tightening member and a cutting line of the element by a vertical plane passing through said axis is located outside the element, at a region where the element leans on the structure to be covered.
The anchoring means advantageously consist of a metal section bar, or a foliated wood member or a concrete member.
Thanks to the structure according to the invention, cover structures with spans even exceeding 20 m can be made.
The invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross section of a cover structure according to the invention, taken in a plane passing through the axis of a tie-rod;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, across the depth of the cover structure, of the end portion of a cover module comprising three elements;
Figs. 3 is a plan view of the module end portion; and
Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the region where two modules lean on a structure to be covered.

Referring to Fig. 1, a cover structure according to the invention comprises one or more arc-shaped or vault-shaped plate elements 1, the number of which depends on the depth required for the cover structure itself. At least one member 2, known as tie-rod and consisting of a metal rod or cable, connects the two arc ends and is secured to anchoring members 3 located at said ends to adjust and keep the desired curvature. Anchoring members 3 are in turn secured to members 4 supporting the ends of element 1. Supports 4 are associated with members 5 for mounting the cover onto a top curb or knee wall 6 of the structure to be covered.
Preferably, mounting takes place with the hinge-slide system, i.e. one member 5, e.g. the one denoted 5a, is slidable to compensate the steel plate deformation due e.g. to the load, and the other one, denoted 5b, is stationary.
In other embodiments, for instance in case of multiple bays or in specific cases, both members 5a and 5b may be stationary or slidable.
Advantageously, anchoring members 3 of tie-rod 2 are located beneath element 1, externally to the corrugated key-pattern profile thereof, in such a position that, in a vertical plane passing through the axis of tie-rod 2, the intersection between said axis and the arc representing the cutting line of the element is located outside element 1, substantially at the region where the element leans on curb or knee wall 6, as better shown in Fig. 4.
Preferably anchoring member 3 is a metal section bar, but it can consist of a foliated wood member, a concrete member, etc.
Fig. 2 shows in cross-sectional view and in enlarged scale the end portion of a cover module comprising three elements 1a, 1b, 1c arranged side by side across the cover depth, as well as the whole of support 4 and of mounting means 5. Each element 1a, 1b, 1c has for instance a pair of corrugations 10 of the key-pattern profile separated by a dovetail region 11, and ends with two dovetails that are only partly formed, as shown at 11a at 11c for outermost elements 1a, 1c in the module, and serve for the coupling with complementary portions of the dovetail region in an adjacent element. An element of this kind can be manufactured by forming first a flat element by the method disclosed in Italian Patent Application No. MI99A000367 and then bending the flat element.
Tie-rod 2 of a module, as shown in the drawing, is fastened at the centre of the module; however, in particular cases, a module can be equipped with multiple tie-rods arranged depending on the needs.
Brackets with inverted-U profile are introduced inside corrugations 10. Said brackets form in the whole support 4 and are carried by a plate 5 forming the member for mounting the module onto the structure to be covered. Elements 1a, 1b, 1c in the module are secured by bolts to both the upper portions of brackets 4 and plate 5, for instance at both sides of each dovetail region 11.
Plate 5 is bent along line 5a (Fig. 3) so as to form an obtuse angle, as better shown in Fig. 4. One side of the angle leans onto curb or knee wall 6 and the other side is secured to the end portion of the arc and is inclined like that end portion. Fig. 4 shows the end portion of a pair of adjacent bays 1' and 1" of the cover structure and relates to the stationary part (hinge) of the cover mount.
Figs. 2 to 4 also show the preferred embodiment of anchoring member 3 as a metal section bar. That bar comprises: a vertical flange 30, substantially lying in the plane of the sectional view of Fig. 1 and having a seat 31 where tie-rod 2 is inserted; an upper flange 32, which is inclined like the end portion of arc element 1' or 1" and is to be secured to plate 5, e. g. by means of bolts; and a rear stiffening flange 33, arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of flange 32. Such a structure is easy to mount and has the required structural stiffness.
It is to be appreciated that, taking into account the presence of the bolts for fastening the elements to supports 4 and plates 5, it could be necessary to provide the plate with a waterproofing coating. Depending on the applications, also an insulating coating could be provided.
It is clear that the above description is given only by way of non-limiting example and that changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

A vaulted cover structure made of key-pattern corrugated plate, comprising at least one element (1) of said plate bent to an arc shape and joined, at both ends of the arc, to means (4, 5) for supporting the element and for mounting it onto a structure to be covered (6), and one or more tightening members (2), secured to anchoring means (3) integral with the cover structure, to retain, pre-tighten and adjust the curvature of the element(s) (1), characterised in that said anchoring means (3) are integral with a lower face of the respective element (1), externally to the supporting means (4), at such a position that the intersection between the axis of the tightening member (2) and a cutting line of the element (1) by a vertical plane passing through said axis is located outside the element (1), at a region where the element (1) leans on the structure (6) to be covered.
A cover structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said anchoring means is an anchoring member (3) which is a metal section bar (30, 32, 33) having: a vertical flange (30), lying in a plane passing through the tightening member (2) and having a seat (31) for insertion of the tightening member (2); an upper flange (32) inclined in the same manner as the end portion of the arc element (1, 1', 1") and intended for being secured to the support and mounting means (4, 5); and a rear stiffening flange (33), arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the upper flange (32).
A structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said anchoring means is an anchoring member (3) which is a member of foliated wood.
A structure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said anchoring means is an anchoring member (3) which is a member of concrete.
A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said supporting and mounting means (4, 5) comprise a plurality of support brackets (4) to be fastened inside corrugations (10) of the key-pattern corrugated plate, and a plate (5) bent to an obtuse angle, of which one side has secured thereto an end portion of the element(s) (1), said anchoring means (3) and said support brackets (4), and the other side is for being secured to the structure to be covered.
A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises at least one module comprising: a plurality of elements (1) arranged side by side across the cover depth; a pair of supporting and mounting means (4, 5); and possibly a tightening member (2), the anchoring means (3) for the tightening member (2) being secured in a central portion of the module.
A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of modules each comprising: a plurality of elements (1) arranged side by side across the cover depth; a pair of support and mounting means (4, 5); and at least one tightening member (2).
A structure as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said element(s) is (are) coated with a waterproofing and/or insulating layer.